Portable heating device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a portable heating device having a self-contained fuel supply therein in which the amount of fuel supplied to a burner on the heating device can be varied by manipulating a control on the handle of the heating device.

United States Patent 1 1 3,620,661

[72] Inventor Herman Schlarnp I 56] References Cited 8" Rhine, Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS P 2,155,238 4/1939 Peters 431/345 x [22] Filed Feb. 11, 1970 2,483,081 9/1949 Wrigley 431/345 [45] Patented Nov. 16, 1971 2,825,325 3/1958 Ross 126/44 [73] Assignee Ronson Corporation 2,853,126 9/1958 Corlet 1 126/38 X Woodbrldge,NJ.

2,867,206 1/1959 Mendez 1 126/44 X Continuation of application Ser. No.

3,154,065 10/1964 Bencoe 126/44 684,136, Nov. 20, 1967, now abandoned. 3 171 398 3/1965 L 126/49 X This application Feb. 11 1970 Ser. No. 009 123 1,330,048 2/1920 Baker 239/288.5 2,364,717 12/1944 Huss .1 239/562X 2,666,297 1/1954 Skoysgaard 222/3 2,914,258 11/1959 Ruetsch .1 239/562 3,181,588 5/1965 Marra, Sr. 239/288.5 X

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves 5 PORTABLE HEATING DEVICE AS51510!!! Examiner-Norman L. Stack, .ll.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs. Attorney-Marvin Trimas 239/562, 222/3 ABSTRACT: This invention relates to a portable heating [51] Int. CL A6lk 15/04 device having a self-contained fuel supply therein in which the [50] Field of Search 222/399, 3; amount of fuel supplied to a burner on the heating device can 239/581-583, 561, 588.5; 431/344, 345; 126/49, be varied by manipulating a control on the handle of the heat- 44, 38; 401/262 ing device,

Z9 Z6 Zia 2! l4 /5 Z4 20a /7 k? 244 PORTABLE HEATING DEVICE This application is a continuation of application filed Nov. 20, 1967 Ser. No. 684,136 and now abandoned.

Gas burners for domestic use generally utilize a nozzle assembly therein through which gas emanates and is ignited by a flame. These gas burners are used as heating means for foods whereby foods can be cooked or kept warm after they are cooked.

In order to control the flow of gas to the burner nozzle in prior art devices, the nozzle itself had to be rotated. ln order to effectuate the latter, the user was forced to use both hands, one to hold the body of the heater against rotation and the other to manipulate a control handle connected to the nozzle assembly. This often proved inconvenient to the user since it is desirable to have one hand free to handle condiments or other foods or be free to stir food while the supply of gas is being adjusted.

The gas burners that form the prior art have a nozzle assembly which is split, the lower part of the nozzle assembly containing the nozzle control needle and the upper part of the nozzle assembly, screwed into the lower part, the actual nozzle bore. To regulate the supply of gas fed to the burner, the upper part must be rotated relative to the lower part. A disadvantage with this assembly is that the screw threads are subject to wear and the presence of foreign particles in the threads greatly impedes the relative ease of turning the nozzle assembly.

The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art by utilizing an assembly in a heating device enabling adjustment of the gas flow to be accomplished with one hand, and where the possibility of thread damage or clogging of threads is de minimis. Applicant uses a shaft within a handle having an orifice pin on one end thereof. The other end of the shaft has a knurled portion or the like thereon which can be grasped by the user and rotated. The orifice pin slides in an orifice and regulates the amount of gas issuing from the latter.

By using a shaft having an orifice pin thereon mounted in the handle, it is possible to adjust the position of the nozzle needle with one hand. The placement of the shaft within the handle also imparts a pleasant appearance to the device.

The attached drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view showing parts in cross section; and

FIG. 2 is a top view of the handle showing parts in section.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a fuel storage chamber which is preferably formed of a metal, however, any other material such as plastic could be employed. A cover plate 11 is secured to the chamber 10 by welding or any other known joining means or it can be preferably integral therewith. The storage chamber 10 has an opening formed therein for the reception of an inlet valve 13 which is secured to the container in a known gastight manner. The inlet valve 13 forms no part of this invention and further detail concerning its operation is unnecessary. Suffice it to say that it operates as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,601. The chamber 10 has an extension 12 thereon which is bored and is described more fully hereinafter.

Secured to the cover plate by screw threads, welding, gluing or any other known securing means is a noule assembly 14 by means of which variable quantities of gas can be dispensed from the storage tank and are mixed with the outside air. A cover 15 surrounds the nozzle assembly 14 and the upper portion of the storage tank 10. A handle portion 16 is fixed to the cover 15 or to the chamber 10 in any known manner, for example, by screws. The handle 16 includes a bore 17 therethrough which is in axial alignment with a corresponding opening in the cover 15. A shaft 18 extends longitudinally through said bore and is free to rotate therein. The shaft 18 can have a knurled portion 19a which can be grasped by the user which is axially spaced from the handle by a shim 19. The inside edge 16a of the opening in the handle functions as a stop member to limit the movement of the shaft. A stop member 12a can be formed in the bore 20a to similarly limit the outward movement of the shaft 18. The shaft can be threaded either into the handle 16 or into the extension 12 as desired.

The nozzle assembly 14 has passages drilled therein for the passage of gas. The gas in the storage chamber 10 is of the liquefied type such as butane or propane. The liquefied gas is fed into the storage chamber 10 by means of the inlet valve 13 as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,601. A wick 20 extends into the storage chamber where it is exposed to the liquefied gas and by capillary action transfers the gas to the bore 21. The wick 20 is held in place by a set screw. A passage 22 intersects passage 21 and it is in this passage that the gas is metered. The tapered needle 23 on the end of the shaft 18 fits into the bore 22. The gas passes between the outer periphery of the tapered needle 23 and the bore 22. As the larger portion of the tapered needle 23 is gradually inserted into the bore 22 there is a smaller area for the gas to pass through, thus less gas is fed to the burner. As the needle is withdrawn from the bore 22, the smaller part of the tapered needle 23 is in the bore 22 and a greater area is present permitting a larger quantity of gas to pass.

The nozzle assembly 14 is counterbored so as to form a bore 24 and a slightly larger bore 204 is formed in the extension 12. An O-ring seals the bore 20a and the shaft 18 so as to prevent the escape of gas through the bore 20a. A wall 25 is formed in the nozzle assembly to receive an insert 26. The insert 26 has a flange 26a thereon which rests on a shoulder within the well 25. The insert 26 contains a passage 27 therein forming an expansion chamber. The liquefied gas expands and vaporizes in this passage. A burner head 28 having a flange 28a thereon rests on the flange 26a of the insert 26. Both the insert 26 and the burner head 28 are clamped to the nozzle assembly by the disk 29 which is preferably screwed into the nozzle assembly 14. The burner head 28 has openings 30 therein for the exit of the gas which is received from the passage 27 which in turn is in communication with the passage 22.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and it is, therefore, contemplated in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In a food-warming appliance comprising,

a. walls forming a fuel reservoir for housing an ignitable fuel,

b. a nozzle assembly having a plurality of openings therein for the passage of fuel therethrough in which said nozzle is axially aligned with and fixed to said fuel reservoir, said nozzle assembly also having a passage bored therein in which said passage is in communication with said fuel reservoir and the atmosphere to afford a flow of fuel to the atmosphere,

c. insulating means located above the fuel reservoir to prevent the heat generated by the burning fuel from overheating the fuel reservoir,

. a shaft extending outwardly from said fuel reservoir and said nozzle assembly, said shaft having a fuel adjustment means on one end thereof whereby upon rotation of said shaft the amount of fuel emanating from said nozzle can be controlled, said fuel adjustment means comprising a needle on the one end of said shaft and the nozzle assembly having an orifice which is closed by said needle in one position and is gradually opened upon rotation of said shaft thereby permitting the height of the flame to be varied, a handle portion is fixed to said appliance, said handle having a bore therein and said shaft is mounted for rotation within said bore.

2. In a gas appliance as defined in claim 1, in which said handle includes an open portion, a member fixed to said shaft mounted within said opening and adapted to be rotated.

I i i I! i 

1. In a food-warming appliance comprising, a. walls forming a fuel reservoir for housing an ignitable fuel, b. a nozzle assembly having a plurality of openings therein for the passage of fuel therethrough in which said nozzle is axially aligned with and fixed to said fuel reservoir, said nozzle assembly also having a passage bored therein in which said passage is in communication with said fuel reservoir and the atmosphere to afford a flow of fuel to the atmosphere, c. insulating means located above the fuel reservoir to prevent the heat generated by the burning fuel from overheating the fuel reservoir, d. a shaft extending outwardly from said fuel reservoir and said nozzle assembly, said shaft having a fuel adjustment means on one end thereof whereby upon rotation of said shaft the amount of fuel emanating from said nozzle can be controlled, said fuel adjustment means comprising a needle on the one end of said shaft and the nozzle assembly having an orifice which is closed by said needle in one position and is gradually opened upon rotation of said shaft thereby permitting the height of the flame to be varied, a handle portion is fixed to said appliance, said handle having a bore therein and said shaft is mounted for rotation within said bore.
 2. In a gas appliance as defined in claim 1, in which said handle includes an open portion, a member fixed to said shaft mounted within said opening and adapted to be rotated. 